Bolidophyceae is a class of photosyntheticheterokont picophytoplankton, and consist of less than 20 known species.[1][2][3] They are distinguished by the angle of flagellar insertion and swimming patterns as well as recent molecular analyses.[4] Bolidophyceae is the sister taxon to the diatoms (Bacillariophyceae). They lack the characteristic theca of the diatoms,[5] and have been proposed as an intermediate group between the diatoms and all other heterokonts.[4][6]
Taxonomy
Class Bolidophyceae Guillou & Chretiennot-Dinet 1999[7]
^Daugbjerg, N.; Guillou, L. (March 2001). "Phylogenetic analyses of Bolidophyceae (Heterokontophyta) using gene sequences support their sister group relationship to diatoms". Phycologia. 40 (2): 153–161. doi:10.2216/i0031-8884-40-2-153.1. S2CID84171410.